Sandwich baker



May 5, 1931. w. w. HALE 1,804,335

SANDWICH BAKER Filed April 1. 1929 1 Tisls Sheets-Sheet 1- INVENTOR W. W. Hale.

ATTORNEYS y 5, 1931- w. w. HALE 1,804,335

SANDWICH BAKER Filed April 1, 1929 I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvEN'roR W. W. Hale ATTORNEY W. W. HALE SANDWICH BAKER May 5, 1931.

Filed April 1, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented May 5,1931 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIS w. HALE, or CLEVELAND, onro sannwrcrr BAKER a lication filed April 1, 1929. Serial No. 351,707.

This invention has relation to electrical apto lock the said baking plate in its adjusted pliances of that type now commonly known position after manipulation. today as sandwich bakers, and the principal Moreover, the special m'eans provided for objects of the invention have been to devise connecting my upper baking plate with a an appliance of this kind, primarily designed suitable standard on the base of the machine, 66 for the toasting of bread assembled into enables the plate to be lifted to a maximum sandwich form, which appliance is relatively distance, and quickly positioned out of use, simple in its constructi n, so as to easily opor in what might be called an inoperative po-. erate under practical conditions of service, sition that facilitates the entering of afresh and especially 'built to handle the sandwich sandwich or the removal of the previously 60 or sandwiches for efiicient toasting thereof. toasted sandwich. Or, the said u per bak- With the last mentioned object in view, ing plate may be thus positioned inoperamy sandwich baker involves a peculiarly tively as when the appliance is not being mounted baking plate, which is the upper of usedat all.

1 two of such plates forming a part of the With the foregoing features'of construction 05 device, said upper baking plate'being mountin min the details enablingjthe attainment ed in an adjustable manner relatively to the of objectives of my invention, will be readily lower baking plate 'so as to readily accomunderstood upon reference to the following modate for the toasting of sandwiches of. description, and theaccompanying draw 0 different thicknesses, in addition to which in s, in which:

' the said mounting of the upper baking plate igure 1 1s a side elevation of a sandwichis such, that when this plate is caused to bear baker embodying my invention.

'down upon the upper piece f b d f a igure 2 is a vertical sectional view showsandwich, it has a'tendency to self adjusting much the same parts of construction as ment by reason of. a sort of floating relation lllustrated'ln F lgure 1. 7

to the lower bakin plate, and will thus addi- 'g 3 1s a p spec ive Vi w of the baker tionally accommo ate itself to the form of wlth e pp baklng p e at the m xithe article of food that is being treated. m m of s upwa d m ement as when out of In the practical use of sandwich bakers, it 1156 P pq g j 111at1Veis proper to note that'the sandwich compri-s- F gu 4 IS entary rear View of 8 in the u per and lower pieces of bread and the upper p rti n 0 the. supportln standdi erent inds of spreads or meats, disposed and the 'llltelen g g means tween between the pieces of bread, is placed bodily 1t M the ",PP gg p upon the baker, and preferably upon the Flgllre 5 1S S1 de 9 of the P P lower baking plate, usually provided. Then tlcularly shown In Flgul'e and broken the upper baking plate by suitable manipuy- 0 lation one way or another, is caused to move Elgure 6 1S a slde Vlew Showmg the P down upon the sandwich so that the latter is bakmg t? supported horifzonla active osition or a position in which it may practically clamped to some extent between the two baking plates to which the heat is apbe use; for bakmg an extra thlck artlcle of food, or sandwich.

plied and which'do the toasting Work.

Bearing in mind the requirements of a Flgure 7 1s Slde new largely fragmen' sandwich baker of thistype, I have designed fifg if f t ff, 3, 33; fi j;

45 appliance that the upper baking P the upper baking plate in the operation of 1S l pp Wlth handle 111831.15 and reafhly lifting it so that it slides freely up the standmanlpulated to be PP m a y desired ard or down, dependent upon the adjustposition-of adjustment so far as the thickness t d i d t b obtain of the sandwich is concerned, for effective Figure Sis a view illustrating the up er G0 baking action, locking means being provided baking plate in the position assumed there y,

table.

elongated formation so as to cooperate with a series of upper baking plates, instead of a single one as depicted in the illustration acd plied with electric current by main leads jijrunning to a switch base structure A,

corppanying this description.

1e base A is provided with a lower bakportlon of the ing plate 13, and the upper base provides a hollow chamber containing a heating element a of any suitable type sup- D, which supplies current in "varying amounts to the heating element (1-, in quite the usual way. The heating element is held in place on the base A, by a suitable connecting bolt 7) which passes "through a bottom plate 0, all of which is fairly clearly shown in Figure 2.

Extending upwardly from the rear of the that carries the lower baking plate B, is a vertical standard 1, the rear edge or side of which is notched at 3, said standard being suitably rigidly attached to the base by a screw bolt 2 or any similar means. The upper baking plate is designated 5 and embodies a casing element 6 secured thereto by screws and enclosing the upper heating element a, seen best in Figure 2.

Heat is supplied to this menta' by a lead-in wire, resiliently coupled to the casing part 6 as at Go, and having a plug socket connection as at 16, for connecting it with the main line wires through the means of the switch D. Projecting forwardly from the casing element 6 on the upper baking plate 5 is a handle 7 for manipulation of said plate. Extending rearwardly from and integral with the casing element 6 is a loop member 8 which might be otherwise characterized as a slotted curved lug, the slot 9 of which is formed so as to receive the standard 1 therein in a loose and free manner, so that the baking plate 5 is free to have a sort of floating movement in that it can rock sidewards or rock slightly from the front to the rear and yet be substantially held in place at an adjustment when the front edge of the engaging plate 11 secured to the loop member 8 engages one of the teeth of the standard 1.

Practically speaking, the standard 1 is a sort of rack, and the engaging plate 11 is of 1 upper heating ele ing plates. Thercupon, by

hardened metal so that it will stand a very considerable amount of wear. The plate 11 is formed with a slot in its body through which passes a screw 13, which screw permits of slight forward adjustment of the plate for the purpose of taking whatever wear may be created, there being rear screws 1-]: carried the rear flange of the plate 11 for abutment with the rear end of the loop 8 to assist in the adjustment of said plate 11 relatively to the loop and the toothed-portion of thestandard 1.

The slot 9 in the loop is peculiarly formed with an enlargement 10 at its portion adjacent to the front side of the standard 1, said enlargement being best shown in Figure 9. The under side of the loop or keeper, at its front portion just forwardly of the enlargement 10, is undercut to a slight degree, thereby forming a seat 10a. A cross pin 4 projects through the standard 1 at its upper and rear corner, these projections exlending sufficiently to engage the upper sides of the loop or keeper upon upward movement of the upper plate, but permitting the passage of the enlargement 10 thereover. In the ordinary use of the appliance, the pin 4 limits the upward movement of the upper baking plate 5.,

The foregoing largely represents the constructional form of my invention, and the manner inv which the features above described are taken advantage of, will now be set forth. I

In the ordinary use of my appliance, the upper baking plate will be adjusted so as to be supported in the positions shown in Figures 3 and 8, the seat 10a of the loop 8 resting on the upper inner corner portion of the standard 1, and the plate being prevented from downward movement by the abutting relation of the pin 4 having its ends engaging the upper side of the loop 8.

With the parts thus arranged, the user of my appliance is able to readily insert the sandwich or other article of food to be cooked or treated, in the space between the two bakusing the handle 7 the baking plate 5 may e pulled forwardly and dropped until it assumes a position substantially as shown in Figure 1, or in Figure 6, the action of moving it down being somewhat depicted by Figure 7, showing the adjustment of the plate or position assumed by it, permitting its free downward movement. When the upper baking plate 5 contacts with the article of food or sandwich, the operator pulls it forward slightly so as to interengage the teeth 3 and the hardened plate 11 that is virtually a tooth adjustably mounted upon the loop 8, for cooperation with said teeth 3. With the parts so arranged, the baking plate 5 is supported by the standard 1 in contact with the sandwich and there is .no liability of the said plate crowding down on the sandwich and s ueezing. or otherwise damaging the article 0 foodin any way. As the sandwich is toasted and possibly shrinks some, the baking plate 5 remains stationary.

Now under certain conditions, it may be desirable to remove the plate 5 entirely from the standard 1, and to do this, the handle 7 is manipulated to raise the plate, and its as sociated parts directly carried thereby, into a position somewhat as shown in Figure 5, wherein the ends of the pin 4 are opposite the enlargement 10 in the slot 8, whereupon by inward movement of the plate 5, it may be entirely detached from the standard 1 in a self evident manner.

Since the plate 5 is movable upwardly and has slight floating action, it will beat parent that the lead wire 15, leading from the plug 16 to the heating element of the upper plate 5 is provided to accommodate such movement and manipulation.

The up and down movement of the upper plate or platen 5 is only possible when the latter is in an angular or inclined position. The shiftin of the plate 5 to a horizontal position and engagement of the looking or engaglng plate 11 with the rack 1, locks the plate 5 firmly against downward displacement or movement.

Broadly my invention may obviously be characterized as a double laten baker adapted not only for use for aking sandwiches, but for many other uses as for cooking meats, etc.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a sandwich'baker, in combination, a base comprising a fixed baking plate, an upperbaking plate for'cooperation with said fixed baking plate,'and means intermediate the base and upper baking plate for supporting the latter in adjusted positions vertically spaced from the lower baking plate to contact with an article of food on the latter, and comprising a standard having teeth, the up per baking plate having a. loop embracing the standard and having a hardened metal plate providing a tooth to engage the teeth of the standard.

2. In a sandwich baker of the class described, in combination, a lower baking plate, a rack carried thereby, an upper baking plate, a lug extending therefrom and having a slot therein adapted to receive the rack, and means associated with the lug and slot therein for engaging said rack said means beingadjustable to compensate for wear.

3. In a sandwich baker of the class described, in combination, a lower baking plate, a rack carried thereby, an upper baking plate, means associated with the upper baking plate for receiving said rack, and an adjustable lack engaging plate associated means for engaging the rack.

4. In a sandwlch baker of the character described, a standard, a baking plate having an opening in which the standard fits, and a pin on the standard and overlying a aortion of the plate, whereby the plate may e held by the pin in tilted inoperative position on the standard.

5. In a sandwich baker of the character described, a standard, a baking plate having an opening in which the standard fits, a pin on the standard and overlying a portion of the plate, and means on the. plate adapted to rest on the top of the standard while another portion of the plate engages under the pin, whereby the plate may be held in tilted inoperative osition on the standard. I

63m a sandwich baker of the class described, a rack, a backing plate having an opening in which the rack is loosely received, fiat rack engaging means on the plate and partially covering said opening, said means having an adjustable connection with said plate whereby said means may be shifted over said opening, said plate and means having a pin and slot device for guiding the movement of said means and securing the latter.

7. In a sandwich baker of the character described, a standard, a baking plate having an opening in which the standard fits, and a pin on the standard and overlying a portion of the plate, whereby the plate may be held by the pin in tilted inoperative position on the standard, the wall of the opening opposite the pin being slotted to permit passagetherethrough of said pin, whereby said plate may be entirely removed from said standard.

8. In a sandwich baker, comprising, in combination, a base having a lower baking plate, a supporting standard projecting upwardly from the base, and an upper baking plate vertically adjustable on the said standard, the upper baking plate loosely embracing the standard to provide free movement relatively to the standard so as to enable the upper baking plate to adapt itself to an article of non-uniform thickness placed between the plates. l

with said 9. In a sandwich baker, in combination, a

supporting base having a stationary baking plate thereon, a standard projecting upwardly from the base, an upper baking plate, and interengaging adjusting means between the upper baking plate and the said standard, the adjusting means loosely embracing the standard whereby the upper baking plate is enabled to adapt itself to an article of nonuniform thickness placed between the plate,

the adjusting means also permitting the upper baking plate to be supported at various horizontal adjustments spaced from the lower plate. r

10. In a sandwich baker, in combination,

a supporting base having a stationary baking plate thereon, a standard projecting upwardly from the base, an upper baking plate, and adjustable connecting means between the upper baking plate and the said standard, the connecting means loosely embracing the standard and being such that the upper baking plate is rendered freely movable relatively to the lower plate andis enabled to adapt itself to an article of non-uniform thickness between the plate.

11. In a sandwich baker, in combination, a supporting base having a stationary baking plate thereon, a standard projecting upwardly from the base, an upper baking plate, and adjustable connecting means between the upper baking plate and the standard, the connecting means loosely embracing the standard whereby the upper baking plate is rendered freely adjustable to adapt itself to an article of non-uniform thickness being toasted thereby, the adjustable connecting means including inter-engaging parts whereby to support the upper baking plate positively in a position cooperating with an article on the lower plate so as to lie flat on the article having an unequal thickness throughout,

12. In a sandwich baker, in combinationwith a base and standard means projecting up from the base, the base having a lower baking plate, an upper baking plate having a handle for its manipulation and provided with means loosely embracing the standard means and engaging the latter to adjustably support the upper baking plate and to enable the upper baking late to adapt itself to an article of non-uni orrn'thickness, the engaging means also cooperating withthe standard means to hold the upper baking plate in a manner for free, sidewise andfront to rear rocking floating movement of the upper plate to adjust itself to the plane of theobject being baked between the said plates.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

WILLIS 

